Mixing devices

ABSTRACT

A mixing device having cooperating rotor and stator elements. The rotor element is mounted at one end of a shaft which is driven by an output shaft of an electric motor. The stator element is supported on the motor housing by support means which include a plurality of elongated support members, each member extending in a direction axially and radially outwardly of the rotor shaft from the stator element to the housing.

finite States Patent Gordon Love London, England Feb. 10, 1969 Jan. 4, 1972 Silverson Machines Limited Waterside, Chesham, England Feb. 13, 1968 Great Britain Inventor Appl. No. Filed Patented Assignee Priority MIXING DEVICES 8 Claims, 2 Drawing Figs.

U.S.Cl 415/2", 415/219, 259/96 Int. Cl F04d l/00, F04d 29/00 Field ofSearch 415/213, 204-206, 21 l;259/96,95; 103/87, 114, 111

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 640,345 1 1900 Wilberforce 103/1 14 2,055,587 9/1936 Pigott 103/111 2,545,824 3/1951 McDonald 103/87 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,176,614 8/1964 Germany 259/95 Primary Examiner-Henry F. Raduazo AttorneyDelio and Montgomery PAIENIEBJAI 4m: 31632227 I INVENTOR Gordoh D. Love DMZ Ma WW ATTORNEY5 MIXING nsvrcrss BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to mixing devices.

STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION The invention consists in a mixing device comprising cooperating rotor and stator elements, wherein the rotor element is mounted at one end of an elongated shaft adapted at an opposed end thereof for coupling to an output shaft of an electric motor and supported near to the rotor element by bearing means provided on the stator element, and the stator element is supported by means comprising a plurality of elongated support members each of which extends in a direction away from the stator element, axially and radially outwardly of the rotor shaft, to a support plate adapted for securing to the motor housing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS:

The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a mixing device according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a section on the line II of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The mixing device shown in the drawings is suitable for mixing materials containing hard pieces of resin, stone, etc., where there is a danger of a lump of the material momentarily becoming engaged between cooperating rotor and stator elements of the device and subjecting the device to high torsional forces.

Referring to the drawings, a rotor element 1 of the present device consists of four equiangularly spaced blades 3 secured to one end of an elongated shaft 5 adapted at its other end for connection to an output shaft of an electric motor 7. The motor 7 is mounted on an upright stand 9 and is arranged with its output shaft extending vertically downwardly.

A stator element 1 1 includes a pair of annular end walls 13 and a cylindrical sidewall 15 which is clamped between the end walls 13 by a pair of axially extending screws 17. The sidewall 15 has an internal diameter slightly greater than the diameter of the volume swept out by the rotor blades 3 upon rotation thereof.

In use of the device the rotor l is arranged within the stator 11 and the rotor shaft 5 extends upwardly through a central aperture in the upper end wall 13 of the stator 11 and through an apertured boss 19 formed on an outer surface thereof. A bush 21 is fitted into the boss 19 and serves to provide a bearing surface for the lower end of the shaft 5. The lower end wall 13 of the stator 11 is formed with an aperture which has a diameter substantially equal to the internal diameter of the sidewall 15 and serves as an inlet for a flow of material into the device. A series of circular apertures 23 in the sidewall 15 serve as outlets for the material.

To provide support for the stator 11 tubing having an internal diameter equal to the external diameter of the above-mentioned boss 19 on the stator is formed with a pair of axially extending, diametrically opposed slots, each slot extending from one end of the tubing to a location spaced a short distance away from the opposed end and increasing in width, or angular extent, in a direction away from the open end thereof. Each section of material between the slots then has the end thereof adjacent the open ends of the slots forced radially outwardly.

The support formed by these processes consists of a tubular element 25, which is the unslotted, end section of the original tubing, and a pair of elongated support members 27, which are formed of the material between the slots in the original tubing. Each support member 27 is arcuate in cross section and increases in angular extent in a direction away from the tubular element 25. As indicated in the drawings, the boss 19 on the stator 11 is fitted into the tubular element 25 and is secured thereto by welding. At their ends remote from the tubular element 25 the support members 27 are welded to an annular horizontal plate 29.

In use of the present device the annular plate 29 is bolted to the housing of motor 7 with the output shaft of the motor extending downwardly through the central aperture in the plate. The rotor shaft 5 and the output shaft of the motor are connected together by a pin. The stand 9 for the motor 7 is arranged along side a mixing vessel (not shown) with the motor shaft extending vertically downwardly towards the material in the vessel and the rotor l and the stator 11 immersed within the material.

Upon energizing the motor 7 material within the stator l l is rotated by the rotor l and is then expelled radially outwardly through the outlet apertures 23 in the sidewall 15. Further material is drawn upwardly through the inlet aperture in the lower end wall 11 and into the stator 11 to replace the material expelled by the rotor 1.

In use of the device there is a danger of a lump of hard material becoming jammed between one of the rotor blades 3 and the side wall 15 of the stator l l, whereupon high torsional forces, tending to twist the stator about the axis of the rotor shaft 5, are set up. The above-described support for the stator provides a high resistance to these forces and prevents or sub, -v

stantially prevents any rotational movement of the stator.

Further, it is found that rotation of the rotor l and the material within the stator 11 causes rotational forces to be exerted on the material immediately below the stator, which also rotates. This in turn tends to cause rotation of material at the level of, and above, the stator 11. In fact there is a general tendency for the whole of the material within the vessel to rotate rather than be drawn through the device. The above-described construction of the support for the station 11, and in particular the upwardly and radially outwardly extending sections of the tubingused in making the support, tend to disrupt this rotational movement of material within the vessel.

The above-described device has a stator 11 whose sidewall 15 has an internal diameter of approximately 1.1 inches and an axial length of approximately three eighth inches. The tubing from which the stator support is made is 14 SWG material and has an outside diameter of 1 inch and an overall length of approximately 11 inches. At their closest points the upper ends of the two sections of material intermediate the slots in the tubing are spaced apart by approximately 1% inches.

In a further device according to the invention the tubular element 25 and support members 27 are replaced by two or more rods. Each rod has a lower end thereof secured to the upper end wall 13 of the stator 11 and an upper end thereof secured to the plate 29, the rod extending upwardly and radially outwardly of the shaft 9.

I claim:

1. A mixing device comprising a stator element having a sidewall, an inlet aperture at one end thereof and outlet aperture means formed in the sidewall, bearing means provided at the other end of the stator element, a rotor shaft adapted at one end thereof for coupling to an output shaft of a motor and supported near to the other end thereof by the said bearing means, a rotor element which is mounted on the rotor shaft, within the stator element, said rotor element including a plurality of blades whose radially outer ends are adjacent to the said sidewall of the stator element, and support means for the stator element comprising a support plate adapted for securing to the motor housing, and a plurality of elongated support members each of which extends with increasing width in a direction away from the stator element, axially and radially outwardly of the rotor shaft to the said support plate, and wherein said support members are arcuate in cross section, whereby upon rotation of the rotor shaft the rotor blades force material entering the stator element radially outwardly across the narrow space between the rotor blades and the sidewall of the stator element, the sidewall of the stator element impedes the outward flow of material and causes the material to be subjected, during its delayed passage between the blades and the sidewall, to large shearing forces which effect mixing of the material, and the support means provide a high resistance to torsional forces thereby exerted on the stator element.

2. A mixing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the support means includes a tubular element which is secured to the stator element, coaxially of the rotor shaft, and elongated suport members which are formed integrally with the tubular element and extend from the tubular element to the said support plate.

3. A mixing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the elongated support members are arranged with the concave face thereof facing the rotor shaft.

4. A mixing device as claimed in claim 2, wherein elongated support members and the tubular element are made from tubing by forming in the tubing a plurality of axially extending, angularly spaced slots, each slot extending from one end of the tubing to a location near to an opposed end thereof, and then forcing radially outwardly the tubing material intermediate the slots.

5. A mixing device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the stator element is formed with an apertured boss which is fitted within the said tubular element, and the bearing means are provided within the said boss.

6. A mixing device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the bearing means comprise a bearing bush which is fitted within the said apertured boss.

7. A mixing device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the hearing means comprise ball bearings which are located within the said apertured boss.

8. A mixing device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the bearing means comprise roller bearings which are located within the said apertured boss. 

1. A mixing device comprising a stator element having a sidewall, an inlet aperture at one end thereof and outlet aperture means formed in the sidewall, bearing means provided at the other end of the stator element, a rotor shaft adapted at one end thereof for coupling to an output shaft of a motor and supported near to The other end thereof by the said bearing means, a rotor element which is mounted on the rotor shaft, within the stator element, said rotor element including a plurality of blades whose radially outer ends are adjacent to the said sidewall of the stator element, and support means for the stator element comprising a support plate adapted for securing to the motor housing, and a plurality of elongated support members each of which extends with increasing width in a direction away from the stator element, axially and radially outwardly of the rotor shaft to the said support plate, and wherein said support members are arcuate in cross section, whereby upon rotation of the rotor shaft the rotor blades force material entering the stator element radially outwardly across the narrow space between the rotor blades and the sidewall of the stator element, the sidewall of the stator element impedes the outward flow of material and causes the material to be subjected, during its delayed passage between the blades and the sidewall, to large shearing forces which effect mixing of the material, and the support means provide a high resistance to torsional forces thereby exerted on the stator element.
 2. A mixing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the support means includes a tubular element which is secured to the stator element, coaxially of the rotor shaft, and elongated support members which are formed integrally with the tubular element and extend from the tubular element to the said support plate.
 3. A mixing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the elongated support members are arranged with the concave face thereof facing the rotor shaft.
 4. A mixing device as claimed in claim 2, wherein elongated support members and the tubular element are made from tubing by forming in the tubing a plurality of axially extending, angularly spaced slots, each slot extending from one end of the tubing to a location near to an opposed end thereof, and then forcing radially outwardly the tubing material intermediate the slots.
 5. A mixing device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the stator element is formed with an apertured boss which is fitted within the said tubular element, and the bearing means are provided within the said boss.
 6. A mixing device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the bearing means comprise a bearing bush which is fitted within the said apertured boss.
 7. A mixing device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the bearing means comprise ball bearings which are located within the said apertured boss.
 8. A mixing device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the bearing means comprise roller bearings which are located within the said apertured boss. 